Things Broken, Things Mended
by Kou-san
Summary: Tai and Matt's problems w/ each other cause tension in their relat. w/ Charm and Jewel. R for swearing, but I figure most kids have heard those words b4. Comes after my friend Bee's fic which came after Shattered Dreams, Broken Wings (my fic.) I hope that


 _If I lose thy love, I lose thy all._
    **_~Alexander Pope_**
    **THINGS BROKEN, THINGS MENDED**
    Charm walked quietly into the living room of Tai and Matt's
    apartment. Tai sat on the couch, staring blankly at the television
    screen. A soccer game roared on screen but Tai seemed oblivious to
    the brightly colored uniforms dodging across the TV. "Who's winning?"
    Tai turned around at the sound of her voice to see Charm leaning
    against the doorway frame. Tai shrugged.
    "I dunno."
    "Something wrong?" There was a brief silence. "You miss Matt
    don't you?"
    "What? Me? No." Tai frowned. Charm sighed and approached her
    fiance. She stood beside him and glanced down at the coffee table.
    Resting on its surface was a photo album. It was open to a series of
    pictures of Matt and Tai. She turned back to Tai. He was now staring
    at her with sad brown eyes.
    "Tai, it's been almost two weeks. Don't you think it's about
    time you swallowed your pride and apologized?"
    "I can't."
    "And why not?"
    "Even though I regret some of the things I said, that doesn't
    change the way I feel. I'm sorry for the fact that it hurt him but
    I'm not sorry, and I won't aplogize for my honest emotions and
    feelings." he spat angrily. Charm chose to ignore the harsh tone of
    his voice. Instead, she crossed her arms and gave him a stern look.
    "You don't know when to give in, do you?" Tai glared at her.
    "WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?" He tried to shout but his voice
    crackedand he winced out in pain. Tai grabbed his knee and Charm
    shook her head. She reached down and picked up a container of Icy Hot
    from the coffee table.She sat beside him.
    "Your knee bothering you again, Bug?" Tai nodded but avoided eye
    contact with her. Charm removed the lid and slid off his knee brace.
    She stuck one finger into the jar. She began massaging the gel onto
    his knee. Tai instantly wished he had bitten his tongue before he
    yelled at her. Tai watched her finish tending to his knee with a
    curious expression on his face. After replacing the brace, Charm
    lifted her gaze to his usually radiant smile.
    "I, I'm sorry I yelled at you." he replied quietly.
    "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. He made a face
    and crossed his arms but his tone didn't change.
    "I'm not apologizing and that's that." Charm glared at him for
    seven long minutes before planting her feet heavily on the floor and
    standing up. She stared down at him. "You may think it's the right
    thing to do, but you know, you're wrong about alot of things! I
    refuse to do it!" He stated firmly. Charm set her jaw stubbornly.
    "Well, is that so?" she started as she tugged at her finger.
    "Add one more thing that I was wrong about to your list, since you're
    counting! And I REFUSE to marry you!" She cried as she threw the ring
    at him and headed toward the apartment door. Tai's eyes grew wide and
    he jumped to his feet despite the pain that stabbed along his leg.
    "Charm-chan, no! I, you can't leave! I'm sor..." Charm shot him
    a cold look over her shoulder.
    "No, I'm sorry, Tai. It's over." She replied before opening the
    door. She started out but stopped and turned to face him again. A
    tear rolled down her cheek and a small sob escaped her. "Good-bye,
    Bug."
    And then Tai was alone in the apartment.
    
     **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_**
    
     "Hey, Jewel?" Matt called from the guest room.
    "What is it, Matt?"
    "Can you come here for a second?"
    "Sure." The blue-haired girl waddled into the room carrying a
    box of records. She set them on the floor and dusted off her hands.
    She sat on the bed beside Matt.
    "What's up?" Matt sat quietly for a while, and then suddenly he
    spoke.
    "I'm going to turn down the record deal." Jewel was on her feet
    in a matter of seconds.
    "You're gonna what?! NO! Matt, why?" Matt looked up at her with
    intense, tear-filled blue eyes.
    "He's my best friend, Jewel! I love him so much and I don't
    wanna lose him!"
    "But, Matt, this deal....- it means everything to you!"
    "My best friend means more!" he shouted. Jewel drew back from
    him. Matt noticed the hurt in her expression. "Ahw, geez, Jewel, I'm
    sorry." The buzz of the doorbell echoed through the soundless
    apartment. Jewel swallowed hard.
    "I'm gonna answer the door."
    "Jewel, wait!" But she was gone and Matt collapsed onto the bed.
    He listened for a clue as to who it might be. Boy, did he get it!
    Suddenly, the once quiet apartment was filled with hysterical
    sobbing. Whomever it was, Jewel was trying to comfort them with much
    effort, but without much success.
    "Charm-chan, shhhhh.... calm down! Tell me what happened!" Matt
    jerked his head up and raised a brow. Thousands of thoughts attacked
    him at once.
    _What's wrong? Why is she crying? Has something happened to _
    _Taichi?_
    "Did you drive here or take the bus, Charm-chan?" Jewel asked.
    Charm shook her head.
    "N, neither... I walked." Jewel led her to the couch. "I was,
    too up, upset to drive and I, I wasn't....I'm not thinking very
    clearly right now." Jewel stroked her friend's hair. Matt crawled off
    the bed and padded into the living room.
    "What's the," Jewel glared at him but he didn't stop his
    question. "matter, Charm-chan?" Charm looked up at Matt through red
    rimmed eyes. The sight of him made her cry harder. "Did something
    happen to Tai?" Charm tried to answer but all she could do was shake
    her head. "Did he hurt you? My God, I never thought he... if he so
    much as thought..."
    "NO! Matt! Nothing like that! We, we had an argument. That's
    all."
    "Don't look like that's all!" Jewel said, pointing to Charm's
    unoccupied left ring finger. Matt's eyes grew cold and guilty. Why
    did he have a feeling that he had been the subject of the argument?
    "About what?" Matt asked without emotion. Charm stared up at
    him but didn't reply.
    "Matt," Jewel began. "I really don't think that's any of your
    business."
    "If it was me that caused it, I'll be damned if it's none of my
    business!" he shouted at the girl.
    "I, I didn't mean to start a fight between you two."
    "Don't worry about it, Charm-chan." Jewel replied, narrowing her
    eyes at her fuming lover. "Matt and I were fighting before you got
    here." Charm began to feel uncomfortable.
    "Oh, then I came at a bad time." She looked down and stood up.
    "There was no point to the fight, we weren't fighting!" Matt
    yelled. "To fight, there has to be a problem, and there is NO
    problem!"
    "You're willing to throw your entire life away, just so your
    friend cansay you're no better than he is! And that IS a problem,
    Yamato!" Jewel shouted back.
    "BEST friend, Jewel, BEST friend!"
    "That doesn't change anything! It may be the honorable thing to
    do, but dammit, why do you have to be the hero!?"
    "BECAUSE TAI ALWAYS Has been...." Matt's voice softened. He ran
    his hand through his hair. "Tai is always the hero... and now it's my
    turn... He's always watched out for me, and now.... this is my chance
    to return the favor." Jewel stared at him. Charm burst into tears
    again and ran out the apartment door. Jewel stood up.
    "I don't understand you or Tai a damn bit." she replied quietly
    before running to catch up to Charm. "We're going for a walk. See you
    whenever."
    And then Matt was alone in the apartment.
    
    **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_**
    
     There was a knock at the door. Melody opened it to find Tai.
    "Well, hi there. I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"
    Tai ignored her questions and shoved past her. "Excuse me, Kamiya...
    what tha hell is your problem!?" Tai whirled around to face her.
    Mel's face fell when she saw his expression.He ran to her.
    "Mel, have you seen, Charm-chan!? Please tell me you have!"
    Melody shook her head.
    "No, Tai. I haven't. What happened?"
    "I screwed up. I screwed up with her, just like with Matt."
    "She wasn't at her apartment?"
    "No. Star said she hadn't seen her since this morning. She
    offered to help me look for her, but I thought it would be better if
    she stayed just incase Charm did go back."
    "What...how..."
    "She ran out. She's been gone for hours now. No one's seen
    her." Tai was frantic.
    "Calm down! What were you two fighting about?"
    "Matt, Matt. We were talking about Matt."
    "Did you check with Matt?"
    "Hell no! Why would I do that!?"
    "Maybe she went to see him after your disagreement."
    "Hmmmmph..."
    "TAI! This isn't the time for you to be a prideful, arrogant
    ass! Your
    fiancee could be in serious trouble!"
    "You mean ex-fiancee."
    "What?" Tai held up the ring.
    "I told you I screwed up real bad." Melody ran a hand over her
    face.
    "Oh butter... this IS bad." She thought quickly. "I guess I
    should call Jewel's place to see if she is there." She arched a brow
    at Tai. "That, is... ...unless you wanna do it?"
    "No way." Melody rolled her eyes and walked toward the phone.
    Before she could get there, however, there was another knock at the
    door.
    "Get that, will ya, Mr. Ass?" Mel spat. Tai glared at her, but
    did as she asked.
    "Ahw, hell. What are you doing here?" Mel jerked around to see
    who Tai was addressing. Matt.
    "Uh-oh." She thought. "Here we go."
    "Looking."
    "For what?"
    "More like for whom. Can I come in!" Tai stared at his once best
    friend. He shrugged.
    "I don't care." Matt scowled at Tai's response.
    "I know." he growled, steeping past Tai. Melody studied Matt's
    face. Hetoo looked worried.
    "So, Matt. Long time, no see. What's up?"
    "Have you seen Jewel?"
    "Well! It would seem that you people never come to see me unless
    you lose something!" Melody crossed her arms.
    "What are you talking about?" Matt inquired, glancing at Tai.
    Melody smirked.
    "You wanna take that one, Taichi?" Tai looked at the floor.
    "Charm's missing too."
    "You're kidding! Sonuvabitch! I knew I should have run after
    them! Dammit!" Matt shoved his hands into his hair and fell onto the
    couch.
    "What do you mean, you should have run after them?! What
    happened, Matt? You've seen Charm-chan!?" Tai ran over to the couch
    and sat down beside Matt.
    "Yeah. She came over to Jewel's apartment. She was in tears.
    Hysterical. We tried to calm her down..."
    "Shit! She was more upset than I thought!"
    "What did you do, Tai?"
    "We got into an argument about..." he hesitated. Should he say?
    _Yes._ _Charm is more important than my pride._ "...about when enough is
    enough and when an apology is in order." He paused to see Matt's
    reaction.
    "I see." Matt replied. "Go on, man." Tai nodded.
    "And then I screwed up. I said something that pissed her off.
    She was being so patient with me. And I took her for granted. The
    next thing I knew,she said she refused to marry me and threw the ring
    in my face." Tai stared down at the tiny circle. He rolled it between
    his palms. He slipped it onto his pinky finger, the only one it would
    fit. Her hand was so small, delicate, and yet it fit perfectly into
    his big, clumsy one. And now she wasgone. First Matt and now her.
    "DAMMIT! Why am I such a moron!?" Matt and Melody jumped as Tai
    slammed his fist down onto the coffee table, shatteringthe glass
    surface. No one spoke for several minutes. "Fuck... Melody, I'm
    sorry!" Tai covered his face with one hand.
    "It's okay, Tai." Her eyes found the first that had done the
    damage. Bright red blood trickled down his wrist. "I'm gonna go get
    some ointment for that hand of yours." She wondered out of the room
    in a daze. She had never seen Tai so violent. He was falling apart.
    Matt seemed okay. Melody hoped he wasn't feeling the same anyway.
    Holding it in was much worse and furniture wasn't cheap. Strange
    enough though. Melody had always thought that in a situation such as
    this one, Tai would be the calm, collected one and Matt would be the
    one spazzing out. Maybe the soccer incident had something to do with
    it. Melody shrugged and began searching through her medicine cabinet.
    Meanwhile, Tai and Matt sat in silence. Suddenly Tai looked up.
    "You can say it, Matt."
    "What?"
    "Go ahead, tell me."
    "Tell you what?"
    "What a major fuck-up I am."
    "Tai, I..."
    "No, really, Matt. First, I fucked up my knee and therefore my
    chance to go pro. Then I fucked up my relationship with my best
    friend, my best friend's girl, and I've fucked up with the most
    important person in my life and now she's gone so I've just fucked up
    my life in general. Wow, what is that? Like five or six fuck-ups in
    less than two months? How about I do a few more and then slit my
    wrists? I mean, one major fuck-up why not go all the way!?"
    "Tai, that's crazy talk! Charm is just mad! I'm sure she'll be
    over it by tomorrow and Jewel too! I love Jewel, no matter what and I
    know that she feels the same way about me. And the same goes for you
    and Charm-chan. Hell, I hope Jewel and I can have what you two have
    one day." Tai stared at Matt.
    "You're crazy as hell, Matt." Matt chuckled and pointed.
    "Hey, I do my best but in all respect, Taichi, I'm not the one
    talking about slitting his wrists here." Tai managed a smile.
    "Man, I'm sorry. I was a real ass."
    "Yeah. You were." Matt scoffed.
    "Hey! Atleast I finally got the balls to admit it!"
    "True. I have to give you credit for that."
    "You deserve that deal, dude. I know that and I knew it. I don't
    know what came over me."
    "It was just your Tai-ness showing through." Matt joked.
    "I knew you'd understand. That's what I like about you, Matt. You're
    just so....Matty!" Tai shot back playfully.
    "Ha-ha." Matt pretended to punch Tai on the arm and Tai ruffled
    the slightly older's hair. Matt pushed his hand away and placed his
    own on Tai'sshoulder. "It's good to have you back, man." He smiled.
    "It's great to be back." Tai grinned.
    "Um, I would hug you but I think that would be...."
    "Creepy."
    "Yeah." Matt laughed.
    "We'll just shake hands."
    "Okay." They shook hands. Melody stumbled back into the room.
    "Well, that's more like it." she replied, making her way over to
    Tai. She began applying the peroxide.
    "Ouch! Shit! that burns, Mel!"
    "Oh hush, you big baby." Melody scowled.
    "Well, you should be more gentle with me."
    "No joke, that mess is like liquid fire." Matt added.
    "More gentle with you, huh? Well, I'm not Charm so you'll get no
    special treatment from me!"
    "This is true. You're no Charm-chan." Melody glared at him and
    poured more peroxide as she scrubbed harder at his hand.
    "Ouch, OW! Dammit, Melody!"
    "Don't screw with me, Taichi!"
    "Okay! Okay! I take it back!"
    "Damn straight." Mel began bandaging the hand. Matt snickered.
    "Woah now, Matt. I'm quite capable of creating a womb in need of
    peroxidal attention on you." Matt got quiet. "That's what I thought."
    Mel finished bandaging Tai's hand and stood up, looking down at the
    glass shards of her broken table. "Well, I guess I should sweep that
    up before I have to play doctor again."
    "I'll help you, Mel. It was my fault." Tai began to stand up.
    "Tai, I won't have Charm on my case because of you trying to be
    helpful. You know she would throw a cow if you made your knee any
    worse."
    "Throw a cow?"
    "Oh, shut-up, Matt." Matt chuckled.
    "All right. I'll give you a hand." He looked at Tai. "You owe
    me." Tai nodded.
    "Right." Tai watched as Matt followed Melody into the kitchen.
    He looked down at the ring. "I hope Matt's right." 
    
    **BRRING! (ooh dig the special sound effects)**
    
     Tai started as the phone on the end table screamed in his ear.
    "Tai, you got it?" Melody asked from the kitchen.
    "Yeah!" He called back. He picked up the phone and put it to his
    ear. "Moshi-moshi?"
    "Yes, good evening, sir." replied the voice on the other end.
    "May I ask who I am speaking with. I assume you are not Melody
    Kamiya, the head of the household."
    "You assume right. You're speaking with Taichi Kamiya."
    "Oh good! You're one of the guys we were looking for to begin
    with!"
    "Excuse me?"
    "Okay well you see, there were these two ladies who said we
    should callyou."
    "What's going on?"
    "Well, Mr. Kamiya..."
    
    **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_**
    
     The phone was slammed back onto the platform. "Matt! Melody!
    ROAD TRIP! Quick! It's Charm and Jewel! Matt, where are your damned
    keys?-- 'cause yours truely is driving!"
    
    
    **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_**
    
     The three clambered out of Matt's Camero and into the hospital
    parkinglot. "I can not believe, we let you drive..." Melody
    breathed.
    "Yeah," Matt replied queasily. Tai was halfway across the
    parkinglot, but their complaints still reached his ears.
    "I can't help it. I'm not used to driving..."
    "Anything more complicated than a shopping cart?" Matt finished,
    barely managing to keep from ejecting his lunch onto the pavement.
    Taiglared at him.
    "...a standard." Tai made a face. "Only you would drive a
    Camero." Matt smiled weakly.
    "Only me."
    "Only Matt."
    "Only him."
    "Only I."
    "Can we hurry up, please?!" shouted Melody. "I realize that you
    two are both afraid and are trying to use humor to disguise it, but
    theyneed us." Tai and Matt nodded. The trio walked together through
    thehospital doors.
    
    
    **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_**
    
     "Look, lady, We were almost killed getting here! Now you're
    goingto tell us what room out friends are in, or I'm gonna hook you
    up with Mr. Right." Melody threatened with a raised fist. The woman
    behind thecounter fidgeted nervously.
    "I'm sorry, miss. The policeman said not to let anyone in."
    "But we're family!"
    "Family?" The woman raised a brow.
    "Well, sort of." Melody stuttered. "Jewel lived with me for
    severalyears."
    "And she's my girlfriend!" Matt blurted.
    "Charm-chan is...was my fiancee." Everyone turned to look
    at Tai. Tai threw the lady a depressed, suicidal look which only
    addedto her discomfort.
    "I, um..."
    "C'mon, lady, you gotta let us see 'um!" Matt pleaded.
    "I...."
    "TAI!" Tai was nearly mauled by a vision of brunette locks
    pulledback by a pair of goggles. Two large amber-colored eyes bobbed
    aboutexcitedly.
    "DAVIS!" Tai squeaked.
    "Gee, Tai, I'm sorry. I forgot about your knee!"
    "Yeah?" Tai rubbed his knee. "Me too..."
    "Really, Tai? That's great! 'Cause what's upstairs is really
    gonnapiss you off!" Davis spouted naively. Tai grabbed Davis's
    collar.
    "What happened, Davis?! Are they all right?"
    "Physically? Not too bad. Emotionally?" He shrugged.
    "Wait a second." The woman behind the desk interjected. "You're
    the boy who found them, right?"
    "Yeah. That was me." Davis nodded. She looked to Mel, Matt,
    and Tai.
    "4th floor, room 402."
    "Thanks!" Melody gave a wink and the four rushed to the
    elevator.
    
    **_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_**
    
     The ride in the elevator seemed like an hour. It kept stopping
    forpeople.
    "We're only going to the 4th floor!!" Mel and a man argued.
    "Well, I'm going to the 7th."
    "Just because you're going higher than us and you're older than
    us,doesn't mean you should get off first!"
    "Are you out of your bloody mind? That's exactly what it means!"
    Melody was about to pull her hair out.
    "Come on, dude! Our friends need us! Man, if you don't let us
    off,dude....that's cold." Davis pleaded with the man.
    "I'm not sure what you just said, boy, but..."
    "Dude...." Matt clutched his stomach and crouched on the
    elevator floor. Tai knelt beside his friend.
    "What's wrong, Matt?"
    "Tai, man....it must be the excitement...I uh..," he swallowed
    hard. "I don't feel so good."
    "Great! Dude! You see what you did, man? Now Matt's gonna spew!
    Man,and this is a new jacket too." Davis threw his hands into the air
    and Mel glared at the hyperactive boy.
    "What's the matter with him, Tai?" she asked.
    "I think he's got motion sickness, Mel. What with all the ride
    over here and the up and down of the elevator." Davis leaned against
    the wall.
    "So is he gonna hurl or what?" Suddenly, the end of Davis's
    sentence, Matt heaved. The man that Mel had been arguing with began
    frantically pounding the 4th floor button. The elevator lurched and
    shuttered to a halt, and the man slammed his fist on the open door
    button.
    "Fourth floor!" he all but screamed. Matt glared up at the man.
    "My head is already throbbing! Cool your jets, will ya?"
    "Fourth floor!" he shouted again.
    "Now you're...OKAY! Now, you'e pissin' me off!" Matt attempted
    tolunge at the man, but Tai and Melody caught him.
    "Easy, Matt." Tai mused.
    "Lemme go! I'm gonna lay the Smackdown on him! I'm gonna tap
    dance on his face...I gonna..."
    "He's gonna knick, knack, paddy whack, give the dog a bone!"
    Everyone stared at Davis.
    "Man, Davis, you punk! You made my threat take a bitch-dive!"
    Matt grumbled.
    "C'mon, Matt, Davis, Mel...before some innocent bystander gets
    injured due to Davis's ridiculus amount of sugar intake." Tau pulled
    Matt and the others off of the elevator. They stumbled into a hall.
    The floor was made up of tiles so clean they shined. Melody noted
    the sudden wave of discomfort.
    "Hey, I can see myself! Ugh...there's something in my teeth. No
    wonder that cute guy in the elevator looked at me funny when I
    smiled." She said, trying to lighten the mood, but failing miserably.
    The guys didn't even seem to hear her. Suddenly, Matt turned to her
    and gave a weak smile.
    "Sorry, Mel. I guess we're just not really in a joking-mood
    right now." he replied softly. Mel nodded. She glanced along the
    corridor. The walls were a crisp white with a framed picture every
    now and then. A smear of colors, no real paintings or photographs.
    And every few feet, a plain wooden door, with only a few gold numbers
    to set them apart. She looked at Davis. The normally energetic
    sixteen year old had quieted all of a sudden. Was the situation that
    bad? She felt her stomach do a 180. Matt's expression had morphed
    into a serious one. It showed that he was deep in thought. She was
    sure they both were extremely worried. But they didn't show it
    nearly as much as Tai. Tai's eyes darted about the hall. He was a
    nervous wreck! Melody eyed him curiously. She noticed Matt's
    concerned glance at Tai. Davis kept looking at him too. She
    sneezed. The smell of disinfectant was so thick it was nearly
    murder every time the group inhaled. Melody wondered if that was why
    Taichi was breathing so hard. Matt broke the silence.
    "Tai, man, maybe you should go wait in the car." Tai shot Matt
    a mean look. Matt gulped. "Didn't think you'd go for that." Davis
    practically had to run, but he was at Tai's side.
    "Tai-sama, are you sure you're all right?"
    "I'm fine, Davis! And haven't I told you not to call me that!?
    It makes me feel old!" Tai snapped. Davis drew back and hung his
    head. It was painfully quiet for several minutes. Tai glanced at
    Davis and sighed. "Davis-kun, I'm sorry." He stopped and placed a
    hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "I didn't mean to bite your head
    off. It's just....well, you know how I feel about hospitals." The
    two amber eyes looked up at him shyly.
    "Tai-san," Davis mumbled. "why do you hate hospitals so? Is it
    because Hikari used to be so sick?"
    "No..." Tai shook his head. "Well, not entirely. Davis, have
    you ever thought of all the people that die in hospitals?"
    "Think of ALL of them?" Davis was confused.
    "Like, how many. Tons of people go into hospitals everyday.
    But how many of them are gonna walk back out? Plus everyone makes
    mistakes! Doctors aren't perfect, you know?!" He looked down at his
    knee. "That's why I'm so stressed over this operation. What if I go
    under and never come back up? Or say me and Charm-chan do get
    married, and say we end up with a baby. What if something goes
    wrong? Like the doc is having a bad day and comes in totally lit or
    plastered. What if no one notices? I don't think I could handle
    that...."He looked at the floor. "There's death everywhere here."
    "Tai-san, that's..."
    "Silly? To worry about such things? I know. But I can't stop
    it. The fear drives me crazy." Davis put a hand over Tai's.
    "Tai-san, hospitals are here to help people. Lots of people may
    diehere, but that's only if they couldn't be helped. True, things do
    sometimes go wrong. But, Tai, tons of people go into a hospital
    everyday. Some of them die. But how many of them are still living
    happy, maybe even better lives right now, today?" Tai couldn't hide
    his smile. Davis had turned his words around and threw them right
    back at him.
    "Davis," Tai started.
    "Yeah?"
    "I hope I have a kid just like you one day."
    "Oh, Tai-san, you really mean that!?" The boy's eyes lit up.
    "Totally." Tai smiled and gave a thumbs up.
    "Uh, I think you had better check with Charm-chan on that one,
    first." Matt sputtered.
    "Yeah, she might be objective to having a retarded kid." Melody
    added. Tai and Davis glared at the two comedians.
    "I dunno, Mel, she may not mind. After all, like father, like
    son."
    "Yamato-san, I know where you live." Tai pointed.
    "Duh, Tai! With you! You guys share an apartment, remember?"
    "Oh yeah!" Davis rolled his eyes and turned back to Taichi.
    "C'mon, Tai-san. We're almost there! The others are waiting for
    us!"
    "What do you mean, Davis?" Matt asked.
    "The gang. They sent me to the lobby to wait for you guys, but
    when I got there you were already here though."
    "Um, k..." Melody uttered. "That wasn't the least bit
    confusing."
    "Who all's here?" Tai asked. Davis began naming them off as the
    party walked down the hall. They rounded the corner and nearly
    tripped over Star and Sage.
    "What are you doing out here?" Melody cried, picking Matt up off
    the floor. Sage buried his hands in his pockets.
    "They won't let us in." he grumbled.
    "Not again!" Matt whined. Tai fell against a wall and leaned
    there.
    "This is getting ridiculus. Davis, they won't let you in
    either?" Davis shook his head. Sage exhaled deeply.
    "Ok, this is beginning to piss me off." he hissed, walking over
    tothe door. He beat on it with his fist and it opened within a
    couple of seconds. A nurse wearing thick, black frame glasses peered
    out. "Hey, lady, can we see our friends now?!" The other glanced at
    one another. Sage was usually so polite, especially to women and his
    elders. The nurse shook her head apologetically.
    "I'm afraid not, young man." She replied. Sage sighed largely.
    "When then?"
    "Don't know."
    "Do they need anything?"
    "Don't know."
    "Have they said what happened?"
    "Don't know."
    "Do you know ANYTHING?" Sage replied calmly, narrowing his eyes
    angrily at the woman. She shut the door in his face. "Well, how do
    you like that!?" He shouted and plopped down onto the floor beside
    Star.
    "Sage may need to look into some anger management classes."
    Melody eyed Sage wearily as she whispered to Davis.
    "He's been trying for over an hour." he replied. "And he still
    hasn't gotten one more thing out of her."
    "Oh, I see." She glanced around, surveying the people in the
    hall. "Where is everybody?"
    "Well, Yoshi and KittyN are on their way, but Heero has to pick
    them up, Lord have mercy, and Quatre said he would get there as soon
    as he can. He's at some meeting in Russia. Wufei can't make it, but
    he sends his best. Izzy's at an assembly and will be here when it's
    over. Azure is trying his best to get here, but it'll probably be
    another hour before he gets here. That's all we could get a hold of.
    Where's Trowa?" Davis glanced around.
    "Hell if I know." Melody replied. Tai turned to Davis.
    "Man, what's up? You found them?"
    "Yuh. I was going to the park to crash on the half-pipe and I
    saw these guys harassing them in an alley on Osaka and Raine. Well,
    harassing is an understatement. I ran into the alley and raised a
    little hell. Bashed one guy in the balls with my board and they ran
    off. I felt like an idiot afterwards 'cause I prolly should've
    caught some descriptions."
    "I'm just glad you did something to stop them. That was brave,
    D-kun." Tai breathed. Davis beamed.
    "Oh gee. Anything for Charm-chan. Shucks, I hope I have a
    girlfriend just like her one day."
    "Makes sense. Little Taichi-Wannabe."
    "Hey, Matt, that rhymes!"
    "I'm not a rockstar just because of my good-looks."
    "Coulda fooled me."
    "Shut-up, Star."
    "Cool it, you two. Were they in bad shape, Davis? I mean, what
    did those guys do?"
    "Well, after I chased the guys off, Jewel was crying like crazy
    for Yama and Charm-chan was shaking like a leaf but wouldn't speak.
    There was blood all over the ground, but I'm not sure where it came
    from. I suppose some of it came from Charm. That one guy had a knife
    and did some major mayhem to her back. I think he was the one I
    smashed in the nuts. But I noticed the guy on Jewel had a busted
    nose. Prolly broken even. There were five guys and three of um were
    on Charm-chan. She was putting up quite a fight. You know about that
    weird demon-strength thing. That's all assumption and deduction
    though." Davis placed a finger on his temple.
    "My God." Matt whispered, crossing his arms and clutching his
    elbows. He closed his eyes. "It's my fault."
    "Don't even blame yourself for this." Sage shook his head.
    "Sage is right, Matt. Give credit where credit is due. If I
    weren't such a bastard none of this would have happened." Tai
    assured, monotone.
    "Yeah, speaking of which, what the hell is up with that, yo?"
    "With what?"
    "Oh come on, Taichi. Sage and I aren't blind. We saw the
    engagement ring on your pinky. It wasn't always there."
    "Oh," Tai replied. "...that." He shook his head. "I was being
    an ass and Charm-chan got sick of it. That's the short version and
    I'd rather not go any further into detail." He placed a hand on his
    forehead.
    "Oh, I see." Sage replied, pushing Star's mouth shut.
    "Well, I don't. If they aren't hurt then why won't they let us
    in?" Matt shouted. As if on cue, the door swung open. A man in a
    white coat came out, closing the door behind him.
    "I was told that I should probably come out here and assure you
    folks that everything was just fine."
    "Then why are we out here?" Matt huffed. "You're gonna let us
    in now, right?"
    "Um," The doctor looked uneasy. "I'm afraid not."
    "Why not?! This is so stupid!" Matt slammed his fists into one
    of the white walls causing the group and the doctor to jump. Tears
    of aggravation streamed down his face. Tai looked up with wide-eyes.
    "I suppose Matt has a right to be a little on edge." He thought.
    "Maybe I should do something about it."
    "Do you know when we'll be able to see them?" Sage asked,
    holding his hands out.
    "I'm sorry." The doctor shook his head. Tai casually shuffled
    over to the man.
    "Doctor..." Tai squinted at the name plate pinned to the white
    jacket.
    "Truwell. Dr. Truwell."
    "Ah, yes. Dr. Truwell. I'm Taichi Kamiya."
    "I know." Dr. Truwell resonded. Tai raised a brow.
    "Oh, I see! Well, aren't you on top of things!?" Tai made a mock
    face of amazement at the others. "Then I suppose you know that my
    fian...a very close friend of mine is in there."
    "Yeah, I know that too."
    "Well, RAZZLE DAZZLE!" Tai shouted sarcastically. "You just know
    everything, don't you?" He grabbed the man's collar. "Do you know how
    long my friends have been waiting out here? Do you know how worried
    we all are? How about HOW MANY POUNDS I CAN BENCH?! Do you know
    that!? Or what about how MUCH IT'S GONNA HURT and how BIG A BRUISE
    it's gonna leave WHEN I DECK YOU IN YOUR EYE!"
    "Mr. Kamiya, I'm only doing what is in the best interest of my
    patients!"
    "What you're doing, is being a dick!! Now you're gonna let us in
    right this damn minute or I guess I'm going to jail. BUT not before I
    beat the ever-lovin' hell outta you and all of your white
    coat-wearing, clipboard-toting lemmings!" The doctor flinched and
    blinked owlishly at the brunette.
    "Very well, Mr. Kamiya." Tai dropped the man and the doctor
    straightened his coat. He tucked his clipboard under his arm.
    "NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!" roared Melody as she and
    the others shoved through the door.
    
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